From Brussels to Balkans, Chinese Premier visits Europe for closer ties

BEIJING - Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will travel to Europe on Monday for a series of high-level meetings to consolidate China-Europe cooperation at a time when changes and uncertainties are rattling the European continent.

The visit, which will last till Friday, will take Li to Brussels for an annual gathering with European Union (EU) leaders, and to Croatia for an official visit and a leaders' meeting of China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs).

This is the first overseas trip to be made by the Chinese premier this year and is set to inject new impetus into the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership.

"We believe that this meeting will take the China-EU dialogue and cooperation to a new level, and strengthen the stability, reciprocity and strategic significance of our relations," said Zhang Ming, head of the Chinese Mission to the EU.

GLOBAL SIGNIFICANCE

At the time of the visit, Brexit uncertainty is looming large over Europe. EU leaders are scheduled to hold an emergency summit on Wednesday to decide whether to give Britain more time to leave the regional bloc, only two days after Li's arrival.

Li is expected to send a message in support of European integration process, as well as the EU's unity and growth, said Wang Yiwei, a professor with the Institute of International Affairs of Renmin University of China.

China, a consistent supporter of the EU, has always been an advocate for unity, a multi-polar world and multilateralism, he said.

The Chinese premier's trip comes just weeks after Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visits to Italy, Monaco and France in March. The almost back-to-back visits demonstrate the importance China attaches to its relations with Europe.

Leaders of the two sides will exchange views on bilateral ties and major international and regional issues of common concern, and witness the signing of cooperation documents covering energy, competition policies and other areas, Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Wang Chao told a press briefing on Wednesday.

China and the EU are enjoying a sound development of ties, close high-level connections, deepening cooperation and robust people-to-people exchanges, the senior diplomat noted.

In the ninth round of the China-EU High-Level Strategic Dialogue last month, China and the EU reached "Ten-point Consensus," which upholds multilateralism and supports an open world economy.

"The global significance of the China-EU relations is becoming prominent," said Zhang.